A Sweet Start to the Girl Scout Cookies® Season Thanks to Investment from First National Bank and Martin’s Point Health Care
February 06, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Helen Ruhlin
(207) 252-9212
hruhlin@gsmaine.org
SOUTH PORTLAND—The much-anticipated Girl Scout Cookies® Program is in full swing this week. As of February 1st, cookie enthusiasts across Maine can support local Girl Scouts by ordering their favorite sweet treats. Thanks to a generous $10,000 investment from First National Bank and Martin’s Point Health Care, Girl Scouts aged 6-18 can participate in the Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin Program at no cost, enriching their experience with invaluable business skills.
This is the third year that First National Bank has donated funds to Girl Scouts of Maine (GSME) to support this program which will run throughout February. This initiative offers a hands-on exploration for the whole family of the five essential skills the Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches: goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics, laying the groundwork for our young entrepreneurs to thrive.
“First National Bank is pleased to support the next generation of Maine entrepreneurs through sponsorship of the Family Pin Program,” says Tony McKim, President, and CEO of First National Bank. “The skills gained in the program will serve the participants well in life and we hope to see them owning businesses here in Maine one day.”
Originally launched for free by Maine’s Girl Scout Council in 2022, the Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin Program has grown exponentially over the last three years. While 490 pins were earned during the first year, that number grew to 917 in 2023. This year, thanks to additional support from Martin’s Point Health Care, that number of earned pins is expected to rise again. Girl Scouts of Maine will cover all additional costs beyond what is covered by sponsors, meaning any Maine Girl Scout who wishes to earn the pin, can do so free of charge.
The program features age-appropriate activities designed to cultivate essential life and business skills for Girl Scouts and their families. These engaging activities encompass a variety of entrepreneurial practices such as elevator pitches, business plans, selling strategies, customer engagement, and more. The Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin Program is inclusive with Girl Scouts of all levels (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador) eligible to earn the pin.
“The Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin Program helped me to be brave and learn how to talk to customers,” says Melanie, a Daisy Girl Scout who earned the pin last year.
As the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program worldwide, the Girl Scout Cookie Program provides consistent opportunities for Girl Scouts to expand their business repertoire. Through their generous contributions, sponsors like First National Bank and Martin’s Point Health Care are instrumental in empowering young leaders across Maine to make a lasting impact in their communities.
“This pin demonstrates that the Cookie Program is so much more than just a box of tasty cookies! By bringing together families, supportive adults, and Girl Scouts to brainstorm, set goals, strategize, and develop business skills, the Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin exemplifies the cooperative-learning component of Girl Scouts,” says Kirstin Powell-Williams, GSME Program Specialist.
To learn more about the Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin Program, visit girlscouts.org/cookie-entrepreneur-family-pin. You can order cookies directly from a local Girl Scout in your community, if you don’t know a Girl Scout, ask your friends, neighbors, and coworkers if they know a Girl Scout you can support. Starting February 17th, you can also order online through the National Cookie Finder at www.girlscoutsofmaine.org/cookies. And beginning April 1st use the Cookie Finder to locate a cookie booth near you to buy your cookies on the spot!
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Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs across the state of Maine and beyond, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsofmaine.org. For the latest updates, follow us on Facebook @GirlScoutsofMaine and Instagram @girlscoutsofmaine.
Photos courtesy of Girl Scouts of Maine
